Alcohol
General Information
Alcohol is a CNS depressant that acts through the GABAa receptor, and is one of the most common strong psychoactives used by humans. It has a long history of use and its intoxicating effects are well-studied and -documented.
Effects
Positive
- Relaxation
- Mood lift, happiness, giddiness
- Increased sociability
- Lowered inhibitions & reduced social anxiety
- Analgesia (kills pain)
Neutral
- Slurred speech
- Flushed skin
- Drowsiness, sleepiness
- Nystagmus, difficulty focusing eyes
- Changed (often increased) response to sexual stimuli
- Tolerance with repeated use within a few days
- Changed aesthetic appreciation: normally beautiful things can seem *ugly, things normally seen as ugly judged beautiful.
- "Beer goggles" — Others appear more attractive
- Mild visual distortions at high doses
Negative
Negative side effects increase with higher doses
- Decreased coordination
- Nausea, vomiting (vomiting while unconscious can be fatal)
- Reduced impulse control
- Emotional volatility (anger, violence, sadness, etc)
- Reduced ability to attain/maintain erection in most males
- Increased difficulty in achieving orgasm in some females
- Frequent urination (more with beer or wine), diuretic effect
- Dizziness and confusion
- Blackouts and memory loss at high doses
- Coma and death at extreme doses
- Brain and liver damage (cirrhosis) with heavy use
- Lowered inhibitions and increased confusion can lead to unwanted and *negative sexual encounters (date rape)
- Hangover, lasting 12-36 hours, from mild to severe after heavy use
- Fetal damage in pregnant women at high dose or frequency
Harm Reduction
- Avoid driving and operating heavy machinery.